Professor Fired After Making Heartless Comments On The Fate Of Otto Warmbier

By: Christopher Feery | June 27, 2017

Katherine Dettwyler, a former professor of anthropology at the University of Delaware, has completely eviscerated her career. How did she manage to pull off such a trick? Why, that’s because she felt the need to post some incredibly heartless and insensitive comments online in the wake of the death of Otto Warmbier. Her remarks rightfully sparked a ton of outrage, and the school would step right up to the plate and can her.

As the Daily Mail shares, Dettwyler took to Facebook to rant about Warmbier’s death. Warmbier was imprisoned in North Korea for over a year for an alleged crime that he committed in the country. He was returned to US soil in a coma, and he passed away a few days later. His family is dealing with an unfathomable amount of grief right about now, but Dettwyler still felt the need to expose herself as an incredibly callous woman that has absolutely no business being entrusted with teaching anyone about anything.

“Is it wrong of me to think that Otto Warmbier got exactly what he deserved? He went to North Korea for f***s sake, and then acted like a spoiled, naive, arrogant US college student who had never had to face the consequences of his actions. I see him crying at his sentencing hearing and think 'What did you expect?'” she wrote. “How about a few moments of thought given to all the other people in North Korea who are suffering under the repressive government there? Just because they are North Koreans, and not US citizens, we shouldn’t care about them?”

Yes, it’s incredibly wrong to have that thought enter your mind, let alone feel the need to share it with the world. She wasn’t done. Dettwyler feels that Warmbier’s parents should be held accountable for what happened.

“I've spent my life teaching folks just like Otto (I'm a 62 year old college professor of anthropology) and Otto is typical of the mindset of a lot of the young, white, rich, clueles (sic) males who come into my classes. These are the same kids who cry about their grades because they didn't think they'd really have to read and study the material to get a good grade. They simply deserve a good grade for being who they are,” she continued. “Or instead of crying, they bluster and threaten their female professors. His parents, ultimately, are to blame for his growing up thinking he could get away with whatever he wanted. Maybe in the US, where young, white, rich, clueless white males routinely get away with raping women. Not so much in North Korea. And of course, it's Otto's parents who will pay the price for the rest of their lives.”

Luckily for Dettwyler, she no longer has to be subjected to such behavior. The University of Delaware immediately sacked her, and the school released a statement on her unbelievable lack of judgement.

“We condemn any and all messages that endorse hate and convey insensitivity toward a tragic event such as the one that Otto Warmbier and his family suffered,” the statement read in part. “The University of Delaware values respect and civility and we are committed to global education and study abroad; therefore we find these comments particularly distressing and inconsistent with our values. Our sympathies are with the Warmbier family.”

While it’s hard to see any kind of bright side here, we can all walk away incredibly thankful that Dettwyler will no longer be entrusted with speaking in front of a classroom of students.